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 After the excitement of Spain it was time to return to the bread and butter business of local wildlife watching. I took the bus along to Weldon from where I strolled to Priors Hall where I enjoyed a warm though often grey morning's walk.

Small White, Speckled Wood and Brimstone

Things at Priors were somewhat quiet, a few Sand Martins were hawking insects over the ponds and at least two Water Rails called from the reeds around the largest pond. Bird highlight had to be my first Reed Warbler of the year (well in the UK at least), a bird sang briefly at the Downy Emerald pond. There were a few sunny spells and these drew out a few butterflies though no damsels yet sadly. Four Speckled Woods were my first of the year and were joined on the wing by Peacocks, Brimstones and a Small White. Other wildlife seen during my visit included a Brown Hare and a Tawny Mining Bee. As I was about to leave I bumped into birthday boy Alan Shorrock and so stopped to have a blether. Once the world had been put to rights we set off for Willowbrook Industrial Estate by the less than direct way of Deene Lake.

Peacock, Tawny Mining Bee and Grey Wagtail

At Deene a fly through Osprey, my first of the year, flew through quick enough to avoid being photographed. Other birds here were a pair of Grey Wagtails and a pair of Shelducks while four Black Swans also showed. We moved to Willowbrook where three of the hoped for Wheatears were discovered, two males and a female. When we'd seen enough of the birds it was time to move on to the Samuel Lloyd for a birthday pint and a bite to eat.

Wheatears